Airbnb Now Offers a Mermaid Experience and Even This Mermaid Cynic Wants In
To be totally honest, I never quite understood the mermaid craze. I grew up singing "Part of Your World" alongside Ariel and the gang, watched the Disney Channel original movie The Thirteenth Year on multiple occasions and love glitter more than I like to admit. Yet I can't quite grasp the fun of wrapping my legs in a mermaid blanket or attending mermaid school (yes, it's a thing).
However, even I think Airbnb's new "play mermaid for the day" experience sounds like an amazing way to spend the afternoon.
Airbnb Experiences originally launched all the way back in November 2016 as a way to help travelers get the most out of their stays in unfamiliar cities and includes things like historical walking tours, local classes and unique activities, like this sea-creature inspired photoshoot.
Shannon Subers, a San Diego-based photographer and long-time mermaid fan, created the photo shoot experience in order to share her passions with others. It certainly doesn't hurt that the nature of this shoot in particular is super fun and uplifting.
"It was very empowering. You know, it made me feel really good about myself, so I wanted to be able to give that to other people," Subers explains. Her goal is to help people live out their childhood dreams all while looking and feeling good.
The entire experience takes place at San Diego's La Jolla Shores beach. There, Stubers applies some glittery (and eco-friendly) makeup, fits you for a seashell top and tail and provides a range of accessories to play with, like oceanic tiaras and starfish hair clips. Then the real fun begins with a 30-minute sunset photo shoot at some of the beach's most scenic locations.
Don't have much modeling (or mermaid) experience? Don't worry, Stubers will guide you through the whole thing. You can even do the shoot with friends to make it all the more enjoyable. About two weeks after your seaside adventure, you'll receive 10 to 15 edited photos to keep, print and post all over your Insta account.
I may not be ready to change my name to Ariel and start brushing my hair with a fork just yet, but I can definitely get on board with an epic feel-good photo shoot on the beach, fish tail and all.
Stuber's "play mermaid for the day" experience is currently listed as starting at $85 per person with the requirement that participants be at least 5 years old. Although the page also limits group shoots to three people, Stubers can sometimes accommodate larger groups (just be sure to send her a message to confirm before booking).
